Let's celebrate!

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Free admission to The Maritime Aquarium, music in the Maritime Garage atrium, festively decorated door fronts and wandering minstrels are part of the holiday offerings shaping up in Norwalk.

On Saturday, as part of "Celebrate Norwalk Day," The Maritime Aquarium will offer Norwalk residents free admission and coupons for discounts at the aquarium gift shop and IMAX Theater.

"It's our way of saying thank you to the city of Norwalk for founding and hosting the Maritime Aquarium," said Jennifer E. Herring, aquarium president. "We hope the citizens will come and enjoy this jewel that's in our city."

The new IMAX movie "The Light Before Christmas" will run until Jan. 4. More than 20 handcrafted model lighthouses, for which prizes will be awarded, will guide visitors through the aquarium through Jan. 19, according to the Norwalk Advisory Commission on the Arts and Culture, which has worked with the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency to drum up holiday activity.

Across the street, inside the atrium of the Maritime Garage, jazz musicians will perform at 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to arts commission Chairwoman Jackie Lightfield.

"Because of all these people that will be streaming into (the aquarium), we thought we'd liven things up by having music in the garage," Lightfield said.

On Dec. 14, also at 2 p.m., the Yale Alley Cats, a 14-man a cappella ensemble that has been around since 1943, will sing holiday songs inside the garage atrium, according to the arts commission.

In yet another event, the arts commission is encouraging SoNo and Wall Street merchants to participate in the "Decorate Your Door Contest." The contest is intended to drum up business in the two commerce areas. Participating merchants will receive a custom-designed door poster.

Starting Dec. 12, people strolling the two areas may vote for what they feel is best door poster. The winning poster designer will receive a prize; a random ballot will be drawn for a participation prize for persons voting for the best door posters.

A drawing will be held to pick a winner; prizes will be awarded to the designers.

Wandering minstrels, meanwhile, will sing and perform throughout the Washington and Wall street areas after 6 p.m. on Dec. 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 and 21, according to the arts commission.

"Enjoy a unique shopping and dining experience during the month of December with holiday music and singers popping up at creative locations throughout downtown," Lightfield said. "Attendees who stop at a performance will be given free parking vouchers to park at the Maritime Garage."